


All Sides

by Pass1onAndH0pe



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Gen, Other, no flashbacks, painful memories
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-12
Updated: 2016-09-11
Packaged: 2018-08-14 13:57:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8016712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pass1onAndH0pe/pseuds/Pass1onAndH0pe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So, in brief, I woke up from a nap with an urge to write about these guys. I admit, I had some residual feels about how everything in Homestuck ended. They may or may not have influenced this.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Turnside

**Author's Note:**

> There's a lot of experimental stuff mixed in with my usual writing style. I kind of tried to emulate Homestuck's general narrative vibe.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bec Noir meets the Alpha kids' DD. He never did show up again after those Red Miles, did he?

Flying for God knows how long through an endless black expanse sure did things to a man. For one thing, the break from wrecking havoc would have been killer had not it been for the enraged dame on his tail. Her occasional barks (cute as it was to hear her trying to control the barks he had long mastered) served as a reminder to not fall entirely complacent.

In the spare moments of thought memories came to him. It was still kind of amazing how everything had happened over the course of a day. So much destruction and usurpation coordinated between himself and his closest compatriots. Bearing the boredom and being chased would be so much easier if he had company. His compatriots were long dead now, in a universe he had destroyed. All by himself. Swell.

Skaia’s light came at last close enough to judge they had entered the Medium. Arriving at one of the moons, he turned and saw the Prospitian draw her blade. Bec’s keen sense of smell told him the human girl (oh yes THAT ONE) was also nearby. Hell no, just Hell no. The only thing crossing Bec’s mind was to find some sort of respite. Even if for a minute, this battle could wait.

One place came to mind. Bec followed the instinct and found himself teleported to Derse. His pursuer followed calling his name. He ignored her, and kept his distance, diving and swooping between Derse’s purple spires. Everything appeared the same give or take a few missing chunks. That might mean…

Bec appeared in an office folding his wings to ensure they wouldn’t knock into the walls. He thought this was his old office, or what would be, but it appeared to have undergone some renovations. The Dersite sitting at his desk more than likely was the cause. 

It was this Derse’s version of the Draconian Dignitary sitting there. He kept a calm expression at his sudden intrusion, looking up from a newspaper. Bec noticed he wore a fine suit its matching hat lying on the desk. Had to agree, he looked as well groomed as the last time Bec had ever seen him. His old DD that is.

The winged, empowered Dersite sat unceremoniously on the floor. From outside the building he could hear the Prospitian shout his name. Cigarette smoke lingered in the air hopefully masking his scent from his pursuer. Bec said he needed to take a rest. Being chased by two dames at once could really wear a guy out. The Dignitary stared in response. Well, that worked out just fine.

Maybe it was the years of nonstop chaos. Maybe it was the atmosphere created by the proximity to something familiar. Bec felt wary and allowed himself to relax reclining a little against a wall. He tucked his wings to where he could still glance at the other every now and then. Was Dignitary always a master of meaningful silence?

Speak of the Devil, he mentioned how it wasn’t a problem. For what? To take a rest every now and then. No use in getting overworked between some dames. Damn right, Bec said in response.

The Dignitary reached over and put on a record. Fresh cigarette smoke began to fill the room. Glancing over, Bec watched him go back to his newspaper. He became distracted, his ear twitching at hearing the Prospitian called out his name again. Focusing on the outside, he could also hear the sounds of battle elsewhere on Derse. What was DD doing here? Waiting it all out to see which side he should flip over to? He always did work in league with the strongest.

Bec stood fluttering his wings to keep them from getting stiff. If they could, things were weird when you were some kind of immortal. Best get back out there, he said. Can’t keep dames waiting. Would be impolite, Dignitary responded looking to give him one last look-over. A flashing impulse came across Bec.

Thanks for the...whatever this was, he said turning to go. Would offer you a smoke, but I already know you don’t, the other replied carrying on with, don’t end up a mess out there Jack. Two’s enough.

Bec didn’t understand what he meant. He had enough to think about teleporting outside to carry on with his ordeal.


	2. Topside

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Revived, Slick runs into DD

Slick didn’t know why he wanted to go to Derse. Getting resurrected was one thing- taking a walk on a moon resembling your own was another. Might have to do with all the noise those kids make. In contrast, casting a look around it didn’t take a robotic eye to notice the lack of noise here. Any Dersites surviving the battle’s aftermath kept to themselves. It gave him the pleasure of admiring the moon’s architecture in silence. Never knew how much he missed it until after a couple thousand years getting put through the wringer. Still liked what he had going on in Midnight City a bit more, though.

He paused on the middle of the walkway. How long had it been since he thought about Midnight City or his Crew? Not that he felt guilt for tossing them all in a doomed timeline, but competent henchmen were hard to come by. All the bickering and fooling around. Digging, building things from the ground up. Man, those were good times. Dead because of his tinkering with English’s vault.

-Ack. What was that? Jack, someone was calling you Jack. Jeez, can’t get a moment to yourself. A Dersite called to you from a balcony across where you were. You had to take a few seconds to comprehend you weren’t looking at Droog, he was long gone, but someone who looked, and dressed, a lot like him.

Were you mute? Said the Dignitary. His expression had the same collected and smug look to it. At least, it had always been smug to you. Despite that, you couldn’t resist cracking a half smile. It’d be a cold day in Hell if you ever became mute, you replied. How else were you going to cut into his pastime? Would have flicked out your stiletto if you still had it. Been awhile since you told a decent pun.

Dignitary leaned on the balcony railing. He even had the same hat, damn, how much of a coincidence was that? Seeing him all dressed up made you miss your suit. Looking like a robot, being self conscious would be the last thing on your mind, someone would guess. But they weren’t you, and right now you were self conscious as fucking Hell. Thank fuck they weren’t right next to each other.

Say, you thinkin’ about changing your name to Diamonds Droog? You suggested to get your mind off the small tangent it was going on. Dignitary seemed to be contemplating your suggestion. No, but it sure sounded snazzy. You laughed in response. What? “Snazzy,” God, why was that so funny? Why also did it suddenly hurt? Were you hurt? No, the dame with the magic fork or whatever had healed you. Why were you hurting?

Jack? Slick. The name’s Spades Slick. I don’t go by Jack no more. The Dignitary seemed to ponder what you said. Hard to tell what he thought behind the cold mask on his face. He mentioned he would be right back, and you watched him walk out of sight. Wheezing, you released your grip on the handrail. You’d long since considered your carapace too hard for any gutsy emotion to break through. Especially after all you’ve seen.

The sound of footsteps caught your attention. Turning, you saw the Dignitary walking up with a suit hanging off his arm. Had it tailor made in case the...archagent ever came back, he explained. With a sigh of thanks you took it noticing how similar it was to your old one. Things weren’t so bad huh?


End file.
